SALEM, N.H. — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie hit back at former President Donald Trump Tuesday after both delivered remarks to New Hampshire voters at separate events and Mr. Trump referred to a “fat pig” line about his rival.
“If you had the guts you would show up to the debate and say it to my face,” Mr. Christie posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, above a video of Mr. Trump making his remarks before attendees in Wyndham, New Hampshire.
He later told reporters during a campaign stop in Canterbury, at a rehabilitation center for mental and emotional health, that it was typical of Mr. Trump to attack him about his weight.
“Look at him. He’s such a hot mess,” Mr. Christie said. “And he’s talking to me about what I look like? Take a look at him. It’s kind of funny, right? I don’t care about any of that stuff. In fact, I hope he doesn’t listen, because I’ve known him for 22 years and I am so in his head. What’s he doing talking about me? It’s because now I’m in second place in New Hampshire.”
Referring to Mr. Trump’s commanding lead in polls over the GOP field, Mr. Christie acknowledged that the former president might win the party’s nomination, but said he has an obligation to participate in debates. Mr. Trump is expected to skip the first GOP debate.
“Just because he won [the nomination] twice, doesn’t mean he’s entitled to win it for a third time,” Mr. Christie said. “And he may win it. He may, but he needs to earn it. And he needs to show up. And I think if he doesn’t show up, it’s disrespect that he shows towards the voters. And if he’s so proud of his record, and if he was such a great president, I would think you’d want him to be there to make that case. He doesn’t show up, that just shows that he’s a coward.”
Mr. Trump taunted Mr. Christie, an opponent in the GOP presidential race, about his eating habits and weight while telling the crowd polls show him ahead of the former New Jersey governor, who was once his ally on the 2016 campaign trail and during his administration.
“Christie, he’s eating right now,” Mr. Trump said. “He can’t be bothered.”
The male audience member yelled out at that point to provoke the former president.
“Sir, please do not call him a fat pig. I’m trying to be nice. Don’t call him a fat pig,” Mr. Trump responded. “You can’t do that.”
In a New Hampshire Journal poll released Tuesday, Mr. Christie has climbed into second place in the Granite State, putting him in a dead heat with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, but both are still far behind Mr. Trump.
All three have qualified for the first Republican debate on Aug. 23 in Milwaukee.
But Mr. Trump is publicly undecided about whether to show up. He polled the audience in Wyndham about whether he should go to the debate and has been attacked by his opponents, primarily Mr. Christie and his super PAC, of being “afraid to debate.”
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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